Swedish EU parliamentarians urge more personal assistance in Europe

The October 1 2011 article Dismantle Europe's inhumane institutions in the daily newspaper Göteborgsposten urges European countries to provide people with disabilities with personal assistance and assistive devices, rather than relegating them to institutions.

According to the Swedish Members of the European Parliament at least 1.2 million people live in institutions in the EU and Turkey, which they consider to be contrary to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The MEPs argue that article 19 of the UN convention states that people should be able to live like others in the community, with the same freedom of choice regarding where to live, and with whom. The support needed in daily life should be provided in the community through personal assistance and access to assistive devices, and should prevent isolation and segregation.

The MEPs come from the Centre Party, Liberal Party, Green Party, the Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats